Taylors.LifeMarian Taylor Rodgers Obituary
October 3, 1928 - December 15, 2025
Marian Taylor Rodgers, age 97, passed away on December 15, 2025 at Frankfort Regional Medical Center in Frankfort, Kentucky. Marian was born in Muskegon, Michigan on October 3, 1928 to Henry and Louise Andersen. Her siblings are brothers Harold and Gordon Andersen and sister Leone Erickson. Marian married Stanley Taylor of Hanna City, Illinois on August 25, 1950. For 33 years she made her home in Peoria, IL and raised three children: Paul Taylor with wife Star of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, Daniel Taylor with wife Paulette of Lawrenceburg, and Karen Mason with husband Dale of Burlington, KY.
With a winning smile, and a zest for life, Marian engaged people easily and loved to share the delights of trusting in Jesus. She grew up on the “sugar sand” shores of her beloved Lake Michigan. As a young person she was very active in her home church, Olivet Evangelical Free Church and in the local community: singing on the radio, teaching Sunday school, and serving in the church. She memorized passages of scripture even into her 80’s! Marian was both a natural storyteller and an engaging elementary school teacher.
When in 1955 Marian married Stan, she diligently enjoyed her role as his teammate in ministry. As the Lord gave Marian and Stan children, she embraced her added role with intentionality as an involved and creative mother to her three children. Marian exerted her artistic, and musical abilities, storytelling skills, her tenacity at getting a job done, and her notable generous spirit toward her family, friends, the needy, the school, women’s groups, and notably Films for Christ.
In 1955 Stan and Marian founded Films For Christ, a non-profit film and media organization which produced several award-winning motion pictures used around the world. Upon Stan’s death in 1976, Marian became director of the organization. She and her son, Paul, a Cinematography graduate from Southern Illinois University, continued the ministry in Peoria and eventually moved to the Phoenix valley in 1984, and later to Lawrenceburg. Today, under Paul’s leadership, ChristianAnswers.Net has become one of the largest Christian websites in English with many foreign translations.
After living as an industrious widow for 20 years, Marian married George Rodgers, a retired attorney from Tempe, AZ in 1996. They were active at Grace Community Church especially by serving as activity leaders for their senior’s group. George was a supportive husband and lovable grandfather to their grandchildren. He preceded her in death. By George she has two step-daughters; Kristen Fickenscher of Tempe and Carla Kentera of Tucson, AZ.
Marian embraced her role as grandmother and great grandmother with delight. Her descendants are numerous and enjoy the fond memories they made with their spontaneous “Spunky” grandma “Mormor”. Marian has 10 grandchildren (with 1 deceased), plus 6 step-grandchildren, and 32 great-grandchildren. Marian’s exhortation to all her children and their children all the time was, “Stay close to Jesus so he can use you right up to your very last breath on Earth.”
A time of visitation will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at Ritchie & Peach Funeral Home from 1:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. with Marians funeral service beginning at 2:00 P.M.
Burial will follow at a later date in North Limestone Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Hanna City, IL.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Films for Christ, 1323 Pine Meadows Drive, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342.
For Mormor, with Love - Eric
This anchor light, from our sailboat Coconutz, is a beacon meant to be seen from every direction, even in the darkest night. Just like Mormor’s faith. An anchor light must shine brightly, visible for miles, to keep others safe – and Mormor’s love for God, and for us, shone just as brightly, reaching out to us no matter where in the world we were.
She was always praying for us, a constant light guiding us home. She loved the water, the lakes and the ocean, and that love lives on in me. Like this light, her spirit couldn’t be hidden; it radiated warmth, hope, and the unwavering peace she found in Jesus.
“Let your light so shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 LSB). Mormor’s light did shine and treated everyone with a selfless love that can only be found in Jesus. And now, though she’s sailed on ahead, her love remains a guiding light for us all.
Psalm 18:28 - You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
Memorial Slideshow
Funeral Service
Parents
Henry and Louise Andersen